The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

Chapter 154

Jia Lian and Baoyu chatted until it was time to light the lamps, when he thought of asking the postman for a room. Live with me, Sister Bao just live with Xiaoer."

Jia Lian frowned and said, "You husband and wife don't live in the same room?"

Baoyu laughed and said, "It's inconvenient for her to live in a woman's house sometimes, so she asked for two upper rooms."

Jia Lian hesitated and said, "Isn't it good to let the two of them live together?"

Baoyu coughed and said, "It's inevitable that you'll have to make do with living abroad. Both of them are sensible, so nothing will happen." After Jia Lian was perfunctory, he called Mingyan to pass on the message. When he came back, he said with a smile: "Grandma said that since that's the case, she won't come down for dinner, so let's do what we want."

I don't know how long after dinner, she just said this at this time, and Jia Lian couldn't help looking at Baoyu. Baoyu knew he had misunderstood, but just smiled wryly.

That night, the two brothers shared a room, and Jia Lian chatted a lot. He talked with Baoyu and held a candle at night, and vomited bitterness.

Baoyu listened to him all night about how harsh Xia Jingui was, how he dominated the mansion, how Madam Xing was selfish and only cared about her own money, how confused Jia Amnesty was, and how she spent her days with singing, dancing and feasting , secretly wondered——Jia Lian Su Ri is not a talkative person, why did she spend so much time with herself in such a short period of time?However, after all, he is no longer Baoyu in the past. He listens in his ears and responds in his mouth, but does not take the initiative to talk to her.

Getting up early the next day, the two teams went on the same road. Baoyu rode a horse and Jia Lian rode a big green donkey in front. Subsidize the family.Baoyu didn't sleep well at night, it was just when he was tired, and when he heard him talk about these economic and worldly affairs, he became more and more sleepy. He listened, his head nodded, and he almost fell off his horse, scaring several big servants to hold him by the waist in a hurry. Ma, asked repeatedly: "It's sunny outside, Second Master, why don't you go and sit in grandma's car."

Baoyu thought that Baochai and Daiyu were reunited after a long absence, so it was not good to bother them, and was just refusing. Later, Daiyu called Zijuan and said, "Grandma said, please go and sit in the car, she I have something to say to the second master."

Baoyu smiled apologetically at Jia Lian, helped Li Gui off the horse, and sat in the car.

But after a day, Daiyu seemed to have changed. There was an indescribable charm in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. She was more like a bride than when she first married into Jia's mansion. Anxiety is something else entirely.

Baochai stretched her brows and eyes, with a peaceful expression, and leaned lazily on the seat. When she saw Baoyu coming in, she smiled and saluted him. Baoyu had also seen her, and sat against the side wall of the car.

Daiyu then said: "I see that Lian's second brother has been talking to you all day and night. Can you find out what he wants?"

Baoyu smiled bitterly and said, "He just wants to pull me to take care of his business. He is also in a hurry to go to the doctor. I am in Suzhou, and he goes to Yangzhou. The places are different. How can I take care of him?"

Daiyu said to him: "You idiot, he said he was going to Yangzhou, just because the roads in Yangzhou are more familiar, and it's not a fixed route. Since I met you, I can naturally change the place and follow you. Going to Suzhou, after all, with the official way, doing business is much easier. You agreed to him, and he will bring Sister Bao to live in Suzhou in the future, so we can all stay together."

Baoyu was stunned and said: "I am a county magistrate, what does it have to do with him running a business? Can I rely on the authority of the county magistrate to force others to buy high and sell low? I will not do such a thing."

Baochai laughed and said, "I know you are not a corrupt or mediocre official, and I won't ask you to do things that bend the law for personal gain, but if you want to do business, pay taxes, exchange favors, and manage subordinate staff, why don't you rely on the government? He's a foreigner, he went there rashly, he didn't have a backer, and he didn't know how he was framed by others, but with you here, at least he was bullied, and he had a place to stand out, just for this alone, he saved a lot of money."

Baoyu didn't know what was going on here, but when Baochai said it, he straightened up and said, "I'm about to take office, but I don't know anything about these things—sister Bao, tell me in detail."

Baochai laughed and said, "I have never been an official, nor have I been on a trade route. I don't know many details. If you ask me, you might as well ask your father and the friends that Uncle Lin found for you."

Baoyu said worriedly: "Every time I go back and ask, they just tell me not to worry, everything is up to them, and if they don't want to tell me, they will go in."

Baochai said: "You know it well, and it's useless to ask them. Besides, there are many ways among them, and it's not easy to put them on the table. When you encounter things in the future, just learn one by one."

Baoyu said: "Sister Bao at least told me about it, so I have a bottom line in my heart."

Baochai raised her eyebrows and said, "Didn't your father and Uncle Lin tell you?"

Baoyu shook his head.

Baochai looked at Daiyu, and Daiyu said: "Second uncle may not be familiar with these things himself, how could he tell him? My father... he is still angry with Baoyu, so he didn't teach him."

Baochai had no choice but to say to Baoyu, "Do you know that there are four counties in Suzhou this time?"

Baoyu nodded and said, "Zhaowen, Yuanhe, Zhenze, and Xinyang counties. Yuanhe was separated from Changzhou County. It is attached to Guo together with Changzhou and Wu counties."

Baochai said: "There is a saying outside, it is called 'Three lives are unlucky, the county magistrate is attached to Guo', which means that the county magistrate attached to Guo is restrained by the prefecture and city, and he is not allowed to move freely. You are still the only three counties in the country. Guo, compared to other prefectures, it is more restrained. After all, within a city, there are not only the prefects, the prefects, and the bureaucrats of the prefecture, but also two county yamen on the same level as you, and your jurisdiction was originally from one of them. If a large county is separated, the officials and people under the rule will inevitably be influenced by the county magistrate of Changzhou, and the governance will be even more constrained."

Baoyu was shocked and said, "I thought the county magistrate attached to Guo would be much more relaxed, and it's a good place like Suzhou. Isn't it good?"

Baochai smiled and said, "Don't worry, the county magistrate attached to Guo has both disadvantages and advantages-you think you live in the same city as Shangguan, and anyone who has political achievements will naturally be seen by others. The first county is a rich place, and the folk customs are relatively simple, generally there will be no major incidents, and they will live in peace and stability, although there is no great merit or major demerit."

Only then did Baoyu feel at ease, and he cupped his hands and said, "Apart from this, is there anything else?"

Baochai laughed and said, "The details are nothing more than money, food, and punishment. You don't have to worry about this uncle Lin and Uncle Lin who will take care of your friends. On the contrary, you must get along well with your colleagues. Don't look down on others, especially the magistrate." .”

Baoyu nodded to be taught.Daiyu saw that the two of them were talking well, and she couldn't get in the conversation, so she took the tea stove from the small stove and made tea for Baochai and Baoyu. This time, it was different from yesterday. Purple sand, brewed twice, filtered out two cups of very clear green tea, served in a small white porcelain cup, Baoyu quickly took it, and saw that the slender tea leaves inside were vertical, and the leaves were covered with pekoe, which was really cute and fluffy , bowed his head and sniffed, only to feel the fragrance, and tasted it again, not as strong as the tea he drank in the past, but after tasting it carefully, he felt fresh, mellow and sweet, with endless aftertaste, so he couldn't help asking Daiyu: "Is this tea not good enough?" I've seen it, what kind of tea is it?"

Daiyu smiled and said nothing, and Baochai replied on her behalf: "It's a shame that you still have to go to Suzhou Mansion. This is the famous Taihu tea 'Scaring Sharenxiang', which was named 'Biluochun' by the late emperor."

Baoyu said with a smile: "I don't quite understand, it looks good just watching the tea made by Maoer - I heard that this tea is the best in spring, is it from Uncle Lin?"

Daiyu pursed her lips and smiled, looked at Baochai, and said, "She asked someone to take it. After searching so hard, I can't soak it a few times." She complained in her mouth, but her tone was very sweet, so Baoyu smiled. After drinking a cup of tea, I went out to continue listening to Jia Lian chatting about business.